Pre-med Gap Year

At Boston Specialists, training the future great minds of medicine is one of our foundational missions. For recent college graduates, we offer a competitive, paid, year-long internship to expose promising individuals to various facets of healthcare. Our interns are a key part of our medical team; they work directly with patients, interface with outside healthcare professionals, and take extensive documentation in an electronic medical record system. We nurture our interns’ diverse interests in computer science, community service, and leadership. Our interns have engaged in research projects that have resulted in presentations, abstracts, and publications in high-impact peer-reviewed journals. They have also worked extensively with local communities in healthcare advocacy and patient education.

Program details

The clinical assistant program is a unique opportunity for pre-med students to get first-hand experience of working directly with patients. This program is developed specifically to prepare pre-med students who are pursuing a medical career. The roles in this position will include the tasks of a medical assistant, scribe, patient care coordinator, and medical record manager. In these roles, you can expect first hand clinical exposure to a vast array of GI and allergic/immunologic conditions and begin to develop and understanding of their medical management. This direct patient contact will help you to develop the appropriate skills for communication in patient education and involvement in the coordination of their care. Upon completion of this training program, one could expect to have developed a better sense of professionalism in medicine, strong work ethic, improved skills in effective communication, and an appreciation for the patient/physician relationship.

From an educational standpoint, you should expect to be charged with reading, research projects, case discussions/presentations and regular weekly staff meetings. You will also have the benefit of direct mentorship from Dr. Leung, who is the only dual board certified gastroenterologist and allergist in the States, with whom you will work very closely each day. Structured training will be provided. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for anyone embarking on a medical career.

Further than clinical experience, past students have been able to obtain experience in clinical research, healthcare management, and medical-legal work. All of our past students have been accepted to highly competitive medical schools.

Applicant criteria

Because our gap year program is highly intensive, we look for students who are committed to pursuing a career in medicine and are fastidious, resilient, and quick learners. We also look for good team players who are amiable and possess excellent communication skills. In addition, we are looking for the following criteria:

1. Only applicants with a GPA >3.8 and MCAT >515 at the time of application are encouraged to apply.

2. Only candidates who are committed to applying to medical school are encouraged to apply.

3. Applicants with prior research publications are strongly encouraged to apply.

We are hiring for a January start date, and a summer start date. To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to admin@bfac.org.

If you do not meet these criteria, you may still consider our volunteer program. Click here for more information.

Our Recent Alumni

Our past interns have achieved incredible heights working for Boston Specialists, and we are extremely proud to present our alumni. We are confident that they are the future champions of medicine and will succeed in pushing the boundaries of healthcare and science. We wish you the best of luck.

Class of 2019

Class of 2021

Class of 2022

Class of 2023

Class of 2024